Conversations with Macklin

Macklin seems a little unsure of this trail.

This morning, en route to school:

Macklin: Mommies and daddies go to work, but I go to school. But one day I will work. But not now.
Mommy: That's right, buddy. One day you'll go to work, too. What do you want to be when you grow up? (Thinking a fireman was the obvious answer.) 
Macklin, thoughtfully: Hm. I want to be a baker. 
Mommy, delighted: Really? That's awesome! Do you like to bake things? 
Macklin: Yeah! 
Mommy: What do you like to bake? 
Macklin: Well, I like to bake pizzas in my oven. Pizzas are good! 
Mommy: That's right, you do. And what about cookies? Sometimes you help me bake cookies. And sometimes you bake the rolls for dinner, right? 
Macklin: Yeah! Rolls! MMMM! 
Mommy: Okay, baker it is, then. 

Tonight, in the quiet dark room after bath time was done and stories were told:

Macklin: Mommy, tell me a pretend story.
Mommy, exhausted after a long day: Well, we already read two stories. How about I tell you a haiku?
Macklin: Yeah!
Mommy: What's a haiku?
Macklin, shrugging: I dunno.
Mommy: It's a poem that's short and has a specific rhythm of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, then 5 syllables again.
Macklin: Yeah, a haiku!
Mommy: Okay, what should my haiku be about?
Macklin: Just say it.
Mommy: Say what?
Macklin: Say "haiku."
Mommy: Hai-kuuuuuuuuuu.
Macklin: Ha ha! That's a funny word.
Mommy, chuckling: Okay, now what should it be about?
Macklin: Hmm. Flags!

I went on to make up a haiku about flags that borrowed liberally from the lyrics to My Country 'Tis of Thee. Somehow Macklin knew it was a song, and he asked me to sing it several times (postponing bedtime, no doubt.) When I left his room, he was humming it.

Maybe we're raising a patriotic, musical, poetry-writing baker. That sounds pretty nice, actually.